Chinese military urges US to immediately drop arms sales plans to Taiwan

A Chinese military spokesperson on Thursday voiced firm opposition to US plans to sell arms to Taiwan, urging the US side to immediately cancel arms sales plans to the island.

Tan Kefei, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to reports that the US has approved arms sales plans worth about US$1.8 billion to Taiwan.

US arms sales to Taiwan have severely violated the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, especially the August 17 Communique, Tan said.

Tan noted that such a move seriously interferes in China's internal affairs, undermines China's sovereignty and security interests, damages state-to-state and military-to-military relations between China and the United States, and harms peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

The Taiwan question concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and bears on China's core interests, Tan stressed.

He urged the US side to stop military contact with Taiwan and handle Taiwan-related issues prudently to avoid dire consequences to the state-to-state and military-to-military relations between China and the United States as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

China will take resolute countermeasures if the US side ignores the basic norms of international relations, walks away from its commitments, and is bent on such behaviors, Tan said.